I think investors were put off by Obama's warnings of "trillion-dollar deficits for years to come."

Here, clarity is king, "free and frank" discussions are the way to proceed, here we not only call a spade a spade, but we pick it up and decapitate our inept enemies with it. True, plenty of people find that offputting, alarming, disturbing even. Luckily those people can put the mouse down, and step away from the keyboard.

There is nothing more irritating and off-putting than some expert airily declaring that it's all very simple really, when it self-evidently isn't.

"He was always put upon," she says. "He was always kind of the patsy. He didn't tell jokes -- he was the butt of the joke."

Why do we put off until tomorrow what we can do today?

We assume it's the economy -- people are putting off the procedures they can put off.

Consumers feel put-upon. They feel downright suckered by their government, their financial institutions, their employers and their unions. Consumers are fed up, and they're just not going to buy it any longer.

"We have put off putting the prices up for 22 months. We announced in September we were holding off putting prices up because of the credit crunch to help our customers, but unfortunately we are now in a position where we need to put the fares up."

The sheer volume of traffic was off-putting at first, but as our stay progressed it became clear that Jersey also has some of the most laid-back drivers I have come across. Although the roads were busy, not a single horn was sounded in anger.

It should greatly entertain girls 8 to 16. Many parents will wince at the movie's over-the-top stereotype of female lust for things and appearances. Even more off-putting is the implication that women alone are guilty of this, while boyfriends and husbands roll their eyes in loving tolerance.

The plot has the rigid predictability of a wedding march; and while it's funny to hear one of the girls' bachelorette guests desperately yelping, "I'm gonna do a quick head-count of the hot drunk single guys," there's also something predatory and off-putting about it.

Every type of what Hollywood considers a female stereotype is catered for - the binge eater, the control freak, the put-upon people pleaser, the unhappily married wife. If you've got a problem, you'll find something here to relate to.

Guys find bright lips and over-the-top glossiness to be off-putting and inaccessible.

Of course, I'm talking about Sarah Palin, the esteemed and put-upon governor of the great state of Alaska.

Kidman's "beauty is so coolly porcelain that she teeters on the edge of off-putting". Perhaps, with Australia, Kidman has fallen off the edge.

How do I let him know his expectation that I will continue to be perfect is extraordinarily off-putting and that, as a person, I am flawed but still pretty great?

Many stevia products suffer from an off-putting bite or anise aftertaste, but not Steviva. One 8-ounce bottle ($12.95) has sweetening power equal to almost 50 pounds of sugar.

Usually, sweetness in Chinese dishes is off-putting, but not here.

Awesome or Off-Putting is a weekly delve into cryptozoology, ufology, aliens, medical marvels, scientific wonders, secret societies, government conspiracies, cults, ghosts, EVPs, myths, ancient artifacts, religion, strange facts, odd sightings or just the plain unexplainable.

Its beige leather seats and near-olive dashboard and door panels were an off-putting combination.

While Marissa Mayer photographs well, she's an awkward public speaker -- that awful, offputting giggle!

Can you imagine "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn," in a put-on twang?

It may be provocative to some, off putting to some others and pure pleasure for still some ears; but here the intent to bring Islam Inc. of Kashmir into question is neither to offend any particular section of our society nor to needlessly provide grist to the mill that has always been working for the state power of India in Kashmir. It is an attempt to approach an unease that is getting intense with every turn of events in Kashmir.

Of course, reflections on cultural diversity are all well and good, but they don't always help you get past an accent you can barely understand or a preaching style you find off-putting.

You have the key to unlock your personal greatness. You are restricted only by the constraints that you put upon yourself. You have the power to choose. Choose wisely.